gearbox posts

Are you ready to see actual gameplay footage from Duke Nukem Forever that doesn't come from a ShakyCam demo presentation? Then look no further than here, baby. Developer Gearbox Software and publisher 2K Games have finally released the first official trailer for the long awaited first person shooter since the game's original developer 3D Realms released a trailer for the game way back in 2001 - yep, that's 10 years ago.

Even though there are some "parts" of this trailer that are pixelated for your pleasure, we would still label this video as NSFW. But it's still pretty awesome. You can also check out the official PC box art to the game, featuring Duke enjoying the fact that he's Duke Nukem and you're not, after the jump. May 3, 2011 can't come soon enough for us.

Download the Duke Nukem Forever Reveal Trailer at Big Download

While there's been some recent indications that there would be more info announced soon on Aliens Colonial Marines, the long awaited first person shooter doesn't look like it will make it for a 2011 release. A post on the NeoGAF message board states that the new print issue of EGM magazine says that according to an interview with Gearbox Software's Randy Pitchford, the game won't be released in 2011.

Just to recap, Gearbox was announced by publisher Sega as the developer for the Aliens game way back in December 2006. However aside from a cover story in Game Informer magazine a few years ago there's been little info on the game's progress. Gearbox's next major game release is, of course, Duke Nukem Forever which is due out sometime this year.

There are PC games on the immediate horizon that are close to being released. Then there are games that have been officially announced but will take years to find their way to our hard drive (BioShock Infinite is due out in 2012, for example) And then there are the games that are completely under the radar. These are titles that developers are working on very hard but haven't been officially announced or in some cases even admitted as being in production.

Big Download has covered these games over the years. In the past we have called them "Black Ops" games but since Call of Duty Black Ops has become so well known we didn't want to confuse you when we decided to do our yearly look at these games. So from now on we are calling these super-secret titles "Code Black" games.

The last time we did an article like this we mentioned several games that have since been fully revealed such as BioShock Infinite, FireFall, Bulletstorm and others. But there are still tons of games that we know are currently being made that haven't seen the light of the public eye yet? Which titles are we talking about? Check out the first part of our current list of Code Black games for yourself.

Many people thought that Gearbox Software's follow-up to its acclaimed FPS-RPG hybrid game Borderlands would be a sequel. Some people thought that we would hear more about the long dormant Aliens Colonial Marines game. But no one expected that Gearbox would step up this past summer and announce plans to take over from 3D Realms to finish off the near-legendary game project Duke Nukem Forever.

Yet that's exactly what happened. Following internet rumors earlier this past summer, Gearbox revealed that it was the new developer behind the 13 + year old first person shooter at PAX last September. Gearbox also revealed that it owns the Duke Nukem franchise outright. While the team is still keeping a lot of things about its version of the game under wraps, Big Download got Gearbox's founder and head man Randy Pitchford to talk a little bit more about the game and other topics.

You may remember that a group of mod makers wanted to create a Unreal Engine 3-based remake of the original Duke Nukem 3D first person shooter That group, Interceptor Studios, in fact got permission back in October to go ahead with the project from Duke Nukem's new IP owners Gearbox Software. Now the team has moved on, launching a very professional looking web site.

The site has a number of concept art pieces for the UDK-based remake along with a podcast with several team members, openings for several more openings and a call for donations to support the game's development. Most importantly the remake has a proper name, Duke Nukem 3D Reloaded. Hopefully this project won't take as long as the original game's sequel Duke Nukem Forever.

[Via VG247.com]

Duke Nukem Forever's revival in the hands of developer Gearbox Software was certainly welcome news when it was revealed at Penny Arcade Expo earlier this year. But how do Duke's creators at 3D Realms fell about their first person shooter franchise being take over by others? Maximum PC's web site has some of the first public statements from 3D Realms' president George Broussard about the transfer of the game to Gearbox.

When asked why Duke Nukem Forever took so long to make in the first place, Broussard denied the allegations made in a Wired magazine article that he was looking to make the game perfect. Instead he states, "It was just never ready. We had lots of development issues along the way." While he admits regret over not being able to finish the game he added, " .... at some point you get enough distance and perspective to let things go. It probably took about a year. I'm just glad we worked it all out." And will he be involved in making games ever again? He states, "To be honest I haven't thought much about it. I'm just enjoying the time off. I still play games and love making them."

The article also has chats with Gearbox's Brian Martel and Randy Pitchford (where he once again dodges questions about Gearbox's involvement in the mysterious Duke Begins game). It ends with some hands-on impressions of a small part of the game.

[Via VG247.com]

Borderlands has been a big hit for the PC platform since its release in October 2009 but Gearbox Software's first person shooter-RPG hybrid will soon be heading to Mac hard drive. Publisher Feral Interactive has announced plans to release a native Mac port of the game for a December 3 release date.

The Mac version is actually a port of the Game of the Year Edition which means Mac gamers will get access to the main game plus all four of Borderlands' downloadable mini-expansion packs (he Zombie Island of Dr. Ned, Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot, The Secret Armory of General Knoxx and Claptrap's New Robot Revolution). The game is priced at $49.95.

This patch updates the retail release of Borderlands to v1.41. It increases the level cap to 58 for the main game and to 69 for players that own the General Knoxx expansion. Enemies and dropped gear will scale to the new levels as long as playthrough 2 is completed. Lastly, the patch includes some achievement glitch fixes. A separate patch is available for the German release and the list of changes can be found after the jump.

Download Borderlands v1.41 Patch (196 MB)
Download Borderlands v1.41 German Patch (196 MB)
Check out Borderlands downloads

Players of Borderlands who have been waiting for developer Gearbox Software to offer up the long promised level cap update to the first person shooter won't have to wait for much longer. In a message board post on the game's official forums it was announced that the level cap update should be released "within a couple of weeks, possibly sooner."

If you just own the original Borderlands game the update will raise your level cap to 58. if you have the DLC The Secret Armory of General Knoxx installed the level cap will go up even more to 69. Players who have completed the game already can play through Borderlands and find more challenging enemies and better loot the second time around.

It's time for a new installment in the Claptrap web-series, and this time, it's to advertise the new Game Of The Year edition of Borderlands. As before, it's set in the world of Borderlands as seen through a filming crew, rather than as canon. Characters act out of... well, character, locations are just sets, and dialogue complains about the acting world. This particular episode starts off with the claptrap pretending to be destitute, but is quickly broken up by copious swearing and ridiculous antics. Naturally, there's a plug for the GOTY edition of Borderlands at the end. Our favorite part is, as always, Steve the bandit.

Download HD Borderlands GOTY Launch Trailer
Check out all Borderlands downloads